Spreader roll

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device, comprising: a spreader roll (2), the spreader roll having a roll tube (3), over which a material web is guided, the bending of the spreader roll (2) about its longitudinal axis allowing the material web to be spread out; and two bearing journals (4), which are operatively connected to the roll tube (3) and are pivotably articulated in a machine frame (1), the bearing journals (4) being mounted on the machine frame (1) by means of pivotable bearings (6) and the bearing journals having longitudinal pins (5) protruding beyond the bearings (6), at the ends of which longitudinal pins radially acting adjustment means (7) are positioned.

The invention relates to an apparatus with a spreader roll having a rolltube over which a material web is guided, a bending of the spreader rollrelative to its longitudinal axis spreading the web width-wise, twobearing pins being fixed to the roll tube and pivotable in a machineframe, according to features of claim 1.

A generic apparatus with a spreader roll is known from DE 103 41 1 19.In this case, a roll tube has means for bending it. To this end, bearingpins are provided that are mounted in pivotal bearings on the machineframe. They can be pivoted by an adjustment mechanism to apply a bendingmoment to the roll tube. The bearing pins are fitted to outer ends ofthe roll tube. In addition the roll tube is carried on bearing pins andtwo spaced bearings therebetween. Thus the ends of the roll tube taperand are considerably thinner than the inner bearing, so that an unevenbending moment is likely to be applied to the roll tube.

Furthermore, DE 196 01 844 describes a guide roll for a web of paper orsimilar material where the shaft carrying one or more individual guiderolls is bent to equalize and adjust the pressure distribution on theweb.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved spreader-rollapparatus of the above-described type that avoids the above-givendisadvantages. This object is attained by the features of claim 1.

According to the invention the bearing pins are journaled in respectivepivotable bearings on the machine frame and have outer ends projectingaxially outward past the bearings and connected to radially actingadjusters. The bearings are about in the axial middle of the respectivebearing pins, with an inner half of each bearing pin extending into thespreader roll and an outer half extending through the respective pivotalbearing. The bearing pin are each therefore supported in the respectivepivotable bearing on the machine frame like a pendulum. Depending ondesign of the bearing pin that either rotates with the roll tube or isfixed on the machine frame to be non-rotatable, the adjusters serve forpivoting the pins. If the bearing pin rotates with the spreader roll,the adjusters engage bearings carrying the axially extending bearingpins and bear on the casing thereof. The adjusters apply a forceessentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing pin sothe opposite end of the bearing pin is deflected and bends the rolltube. Actuation of the adjusters can be similar or different from oneanother.

The adjusters are advantageously rotatable angularly of the spreaderroll so that the direction of deflection of the roll tube in can beadjusted angularly. The adjusters are each braced against a sleeve thatis pivotal in the machine frame. Twisting of the adjusters can be doneby hand, but preferably a rotary drive with large transmission ratio isprovided.

The adjusters can be set such that the effective directions of the forcefor generating the bending moment extend parallel to one another or areoffset from one another at an angle.

The adjusters for their part can each have a threaded spindle with anadjustment nut operable by hand or by a drive element.

The pivoting bearing of the bearing pin is particularly useful when thebearing pin rotates with it, and it is a self-aligning bearing,preferably a multi-row ball bearing.

The bearing pin can be carried in the roll tube by two axially spacedbearings, which are preferably self-aligning bearings. In that case, theroll tube has its own rotary drive. The roll tube preferably has a wallthickness that is constant throughout its length.

The bearing pins can, however, also be fixed in a force fit in the rolltube. Then the drive of the roll can be done via one of the bearingpins.

In a further embodiment of the invention the bearing pins are part of ashaft on which the roll tube is guided or the shaft itself actuallyforms the roll tube.

In a further development of the invention, a sensor is provided fordetermining the bending of the roll tube at the location of theadjuster. By measuring the bending of the roll tube can be prevented bya corresponding controller operating with or without feed back tooperate the rotary twisting means to adjust the bending or, for example,can be controlled during an ongoing operation to maintain bendingconstant as much as possible.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in simplified form in thedrawings. Therein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an apparatus with a spreader roll,

FIG. 2 is a section through the apparatus and the spreader rollaccording to line A-A of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an end view of an apparatus with a spreader roll of modifieddesign,

FIG. 4 is an end view opposite that of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a section through the apparatus according to line C-C of FIG.4,

FIG. 6 is a side view of an apparatus with a spreader roll, and

FIG. 7 is a section through the apparatus according to line A-A of FIG.6.

FIGS. 1 to 7, as far as shown in detail, illustrate a machine frame 1holding and supporting a spreader roll 2. The spreader roll 2 has a tube3 with ends secured in respective bearing pins 4. Ends of the bearingpins 4 projects axially from respective ends of the tube 2 and the pins4 are journaled approximately in their axial middles in the machineframe 1. There are thus rocker bearings at which the bearing pins 4 arepivoted. The outer ends 5 of the bearing pins 4 are seated in bearingson engaged radially by respective adjusters 7 for radial pivoting. Theadjusters 7 each carry a threaded spindle with an adjustment nut 8supported in turn on a sleeve pivotably mounted in the machine frame 1.The nut 8 can be operated by hand or by a drive. Rotating the sleevetogether with the adjuster 7 by a rotary drive 9 can change thedirection in which the bearing pins 4 are pivoted and thus the directionof bend of the roll tube 3.

The roll tube 3 can be supported on each of the bearing pins 4 by twoaxially spaced bearings. The roll tube 3 is in this case driven by anindependent drive. When the bearing pins 4 are fixed in the roll tube 4as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the same drive rotates both the bearing pins 4and the roll tube 3.

The bearing pins 4 can, however as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 be parts of ashaft 7, on which a roll tube 3 is fixed. It is also possible that theshaft itself forms the roll tube

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   -   1 machine frame    -   2 spreader roll    -   3 roll tube    -   4 bearing pins    -   5 axially extending pins    -   6 bearings    -   7 adjuster    -   8 adjustment nut    -   9 twisting means    -   10 measuring equipment

1. An apparatus comprising: a machine frame; a spreader roll having aroll tube over which a material web is guided so that bending of thespreader roll relative to its longitudinal axis can spread the webwidth-wise; respective bearing pins fixed in ends of the roll tube andprojecting axially outwardly therefrom; respective journals pivotable onthe machine frame and in which the bearing pins are journaled, thebearing pin having axially outer ends projecting axially outward pastthe bearings; and respective radially acting adjusters braced radiallybetween the outer ends and the frame.
 2. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the adjusters engage casings of bearings of outerbearing-pin ends.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theadjusters are movable angularly of the spreader roll.
 4. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the adjusters are each mounted on arespective sleeve that is pivotal in the machine frame and that isprovided with a rotary drive.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the rotary drive is effective angularly.
 6. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the adjusters each have a threaded spindlewith an adjustment nut.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, whereinthe adjustment nut has a rotary drive.
 8. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the pivotable bearings are self-aligning multi-row ballbearings, and are each arranged approximately in an axial center of therespective bearing pin.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe bearing pins are each supported in the roll tube by two respectiveaxially spaced self-aligning bearings.
 10. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the bearing pins are fixed in the roll tube.
 11. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bearing pins are part of ashaft carrying the roll tube.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the adjusters with regard to the effective direction of theforce for generating the bending moment extend parallel or at an angleto one another.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a sensor for determining bending of the roll tube at theadjusters.
 14. An apparatus comprising: a machine frame; an elasticallydeformable roll tube centered on and extending along a roll axis;axially spaced main bearings supporting the roll tube on the frame forrotation about the axis; pins extending axially, oppositely, andoutwardly of the main bearings from the tube; respective deflectionbearings on the pins axially outward of the respective main bearings andeach pivotal on the frame about a bearing axis transverse to the rollaxis; and respective adjusters each braced radially between a respectiveone of the deflection bearings and the frame for bending the roll tube.